Improvement in lightning-rods



timid $121t25 Letters Patent No. 113,869, dated April 18, 1871.

. IlhPRCiVEMENT IN LIGHTNING-RODS The schedule refen'ed m in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

Toall whom it may concern Be itknown that'LALBEn'r A, GAYLORD, of East Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented-a certain new and improved Lightning-RodConnection; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and complete description of the same, reference being had to the ac companying drawing making part of this specification, in wh'ichr v Figure l is a view of the rod connected.

Figure 2 is a view of the rod disconnected.

Figures 3 andfi are-modifications of ,fig, 1; Likejletters-of reference refer tdlikeparts' in the several views. 1 v

The nature of this invention relates to a joint for connecting tubular lightning-rods; and

The object thereofis to produce. a cheap, simple,

and secure joint, whereby the continuity of the rod shallbe maintained.

I am aware that there are several devices adopted for connecting sections of this class of rods, but my device differs materially from others, and possesses important advantages not obtained by any other mode of connection, and which is as follows:

In the drawing, fig. 1-

' A B represent two sections of tubular rod, and which are connected to each other by means of a lap or scarf- '0iut. r

J Said joint is made by cutting the end of finch section at an angle of greater or lesserydeg'ree, as shown at 0, fig. 2, so that the two ends, when, brought together, will lap one upon the other, asshown in fig. 1, in which it represents the seam of the joint.

, D, fig. 2, isthe dowel, which may be either solid or tubular. Saiddowel is inserted in the end of thetwo sections of rod-,which is sufliciently long to extend beyond the length of the lap, as indicated by the dotted lines b, fig. 1.

The ends of the two sectionsbn being brought togeth'er, asshown in fig. 1, are thus secured by a pin,

0, inserted transversely through the end of" each lap and through the dowel, as shown by the dotted line The hole for the. admissionof the pin is draw-bored; hence the two miter-likeends are drawn closelynpon each other, forming a close, strong, and easily-made j oint.

'tages over others in use. 1

In making the two endsflap upon each other, as described, but little skill andcare are requiredto bore the holes for the admission of the pin,as-the lap prevents together, makin angiitenir' erreet oint.

' It will be observed that only one pin is used'orneed f be used inma'king this joint, and which, passing through each lap near the end, draws it closely down.- in

contact with the tube, thereby enabling the-joiht to resist with additional strength any lateral strain exs erted upon it,.and which, in consequence of the'lap, the joint hasa large bearing surface, and will there fore, have great resisting power to oppose the transverse strain; hence the joint is notliable to bend and open.v

the seam, and thereby disable the conducting capacity of the rod. 2

Figs? and 4 represent slight modifications of the above-described joint,in which theessential principle of the lap and the use of one pin is maintained.

By extending the length of the lap two pins may be used, which, however, are not essential, as one pin is suflicieut for the p'nrpose- "claim.

What I claim as my invention, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, isv a Tubular lightning-rods,the sections thereof connected by means of a" lapier scart joint secured by a dowel, D, and pin orpinsh,'substantially in the manher as and for the pnrpose'setforth.

ALBERT A. GAYLORD.

Witnesses:

, J. H. BURRIDGE, .f D. L. HUMPHREY.

area; I

A joint thus made possesses several special advan- 

